This invention generally relates to containers and more particularly, to an improved security bag having a closure system resistant to undesirable opening and indicative of physical and/or chemical tampering therewith.
Known security bags are expensive to manufacture and have various degrees of resistance to tampering. One type of bag, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,019 comprises a plastic bag closed at one end with a foldable flap. Adhesive materials in the bag and flap are brought into a mating relationship upon folding the flaps so as to close the access opening of the bag proper. Such a bag appears to be relatively expensive to manufacture.
Another type of security bag is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,621 which illustrates a security pouch with an access opening flanked by pressure sensitive adhesive. Upon folding the pouch onto itself the access opening seal which precludes radial axis thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,158 discloses a method of making a tamper-proof bag closure which applies a band of microcapsules along the access opening. Upon folding the flap along the fold line ready entry into the access opening is precluded.
My U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,194, which issued on Apr. 28, 1992, illustrates a tamper evident leak-proof security bag which presents a positive seal along the access opening without the need to fold the mating surfaces of the bag in a facing relationship and without the need for critical user attention.
I have invented another security bag which further reduces undesirable entry therein by mechanical means or by applying freon onto the front and rear portions of the bag adjacent the sealed access opening. Freon or heat application has been used by intruders to weaken or fracture the adhesive bond which seals the access opening. This condition allows an unauthorized entry into the bag which may not be evident to the proper bag recipient. I also provide a sealed access opening at the top of the bag which hinders an undesirable intruder from gaining any substantial purchase without tearing on the upper edges of the bag that form the access opening. Thus, an undesirable and undetectable access to the bag is, if not precluded, substantially reduced.
My new security bag now comprises a container/bag made of a plastic material folded into front and rear panels which are heat sealed along the extent of their longitudinal marginal edges. At the top edge of the front panel is affixed a cellophane carrier film with a hot-melt type of adhesive bond material thereon. A releasable liner extends along the adhesive bond to preclude an undesirable, premature adhesion of the carrier film to the rear panel. An optional information panel at the top edge of the rear panel is removable therefrom along a line of serration. The front panel top edge is lower than the rear panel top edge so as to present an adhesion panel. Upon use the releasable liner is removed from the adhesive material. The carrier film is then brought into contact with the rear adhesion panel. The top edges of the film and adhesion panel are sealed in a lateral alignment with no portions thereof available for purchase to a user. The front and rear bag panels have ink indicia thereon which are responsive to a chemical agent being sprayed thereon. Upon an unauthorized user trying to break the adhesive bond of the access opening by spraying freon or applying heat thereon, the cellophane and indicia thereon will crack and/or the ink indicia on the panels will distort all which are readily apparent to the proper bag recipient. The carrier film has lines of serration therein which will cause the film to separate upon an attempt to separate the carrier film from the rear panel. Scalloped edges along the marginal edges of the bag or film further cause tearing if entry is attempted by separating the panels or the carrier film from the sealed rear panel. The use of the above bag elements, jointly and severally, provide a tamper evident security bag. Moreover, the attributes of the cellophane carrier film and/or adhesive make it difficult to mask the resulting intruder-induced distortions.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the invention to provide a novel closure system for a security bag or the like.
Another object of the invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, which precludes separation of the access opening to the bag during use.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, which is tamper evident.
Another object of this invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, which presents means for sealing the access opening of the bag by means of an adhesive-laden carrier film which will fracture under cold temperatures.
A further object of this invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, having a carrier film separable along lines of serration.
Another object of this invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, having scalloped edges along the marginal edges of the bag and carrier film which are separable upon a user entry into the bag.
A particular object of this invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, which precludes a premature, undesirable sealing of the access opening.
Another particular object of this invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, which indicates attempts to weaken the adhesive bond of the sealed access opening by application of heat, cold and chemical agents or the like.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a closure system with carrier film and adhesive thereon which resists masking of distortions resulting from attempted entries into the bag.
A further object of this invention is to provide a closure system, as aforesaid, which minimizes a purchase of the structural elements forming the access opening to reduce an undetectable entry thereto.
Other objects and advantages of the invention become apparent of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example a now preferred embodiment of the invention.